Operation Golden Garden 2014: Let's Get Started!

MGOLD86 · Aug 10, 2013

Peptacular said:
Wow man, super impressed with your videos dude.

You remind me of a mix of me and my cousin Ned. He's a hardcore, no-nonsense, fast talking military man with good speaking skills and a charismatics presence. I'm a biology major who's knowledgable about my major and many peripheral subjects. But not so good at transferring that knowledge to Joe Everyman without excessive "ums" and awkwardness.

You're very thorough and scientific without a stutter or pause. But sometimes you go rapid fire with a bullpup swing on the subject. Take your time man, I'd sit still for a half hour video when you wax scientific. (Obviously tasting videos are a different beast)

You're one sharp ass tack and a good vocalizer; no need to rush your point when it's enjoyable to listen to. And the tasting videos? You have me chomping at the bit to get my own pain high haha.

I love the idea of isolating (within practical means) strains you want to advance and preserve, and keeping notes to ensure that end. Careful tending to pollination and mutations can only lead to great things. Awesome stuff man, you seem like a kickass individual.

Edit: no offense intended. Keep on keeping on man, you're recordings are on my permanent radar.

No offense taken, thanks for the compliment. I have always felt comfortable speaking, and if it didn't take so damn long to get the video to upload, I would definitely take my time a bit more. I usually like to talk while I am in pain, but these last two really haven't afforded me the opportunity to do so. This is where Matt's Chats comes in. I can use that as a vehicle to expand a bit on topics that I come up with. I am working on one right now that is gonna cover how to eat peppers, build tolerance, and why certain peppers hit people differently.

peppernovice said:
It wasn't as much the comedy as the need to know what could top the Brown Moruga. I wasn't really expecting it to lose it's heavy weight title so abruptly. The comedy is just a bonus. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your reviews. I hope you didn't take it the wrong way when I said the Moruga review was entertaining. I will now say 3 hail marries and take 30 lashes with a wet noodle. This will be extremely painful considering I'm a Baptist.

Tim

LOL, nah man, its all good. There are a lot of great guys out there doing their reviews so I like to spice mine up a bit with some of my standup....not for real, I would get booed. My wife thinks I am crazy, but then I catch her watching the videos when she thinks I am not looking and giving a few laughs. Last night she read through the comments on my BMS YT video and she was rolling. So, yea, I wanna get them out there as quickly as possible. And I love wet noodles.

thegreenman said:
---that looked like real torture. I thought you were going to bail for a minute there. The hand paralysis is strange, I've never felt anything like that, but I do get the ear pain that some others do.

I wonder if we could find out how the different capsaicinoids interact with different parts of the brain's pain receptors, and why people feel them differently.
Sounds like a project for DARPA.

It was pretty bad. Real interesting topic for a study. I am gonna talk a little about that in the next MC, but that is the exact reason why it is really impossible to get the heat judgment from a human reviewer. And it was funny, because the Savannah was supposed to only hit like 980k....

stc3248 said:
Awesome! Now I will officially strike that one off the list of stuff to eat! I have eaten some crazy hot stuff too. The Infinity hit me hardest and I did actually have to walk around and leave the room for a few. I had a guy filming me, and he followed and I really wanted to punch him in the face. I have never had the extremities seize up or even really tingle. I have felt a bit light headed and get a ringing/burning inside my ears. Unbelievable you went back to back days testing, takes my system a few days to recover. I am going to attempt a Primo/Reaper side by side this weekend to see how they stack up flavor and heat wise. I think I will quarter them and eat them in succession....for as long as I can anyway??? Heck better yet maybe I'll send them to you and let you do it!!!

Haha...funny you wrote this as I was typing I saw the "new post" message. Look up...and same reaction!

LOL, you should never strike ANY pepper off the list man! I really have no idea how you can do a review with people around....I would go crazy. I heard the dude like "is it hot??" and I was rolling....cuz I would be like, do you think that it is hot buddy?? my friggen face is covered in sweat, I cant talk or breathe, and I have a look that says....you will die if you take another step closer or say another word....so ya wanna ask me again?? lol.

Looking forward to your opinion on the reaper/primo.

laynlow said:
Wow great review on the Savannah. I couldn't help but laugh just a little as the pepper was burning you up and reading your tshirt "Keep Calm" hahaha

Thanks! As I was watching it back I saw that and was like.....Damn....the irony!

stickman said:
Hi Matt, no offense meant... but chit man... you an adrenaline junkie sho' 'nuff!

It is crazy Rick. It is the review season. The summer is winding down, the harvests are in full swing and people want their stuff reviewed. I did a bunch in 2011, and a few before I deployed last summer, but this summer already takes the cake. And of course, someone sees you react the way I did and everyone wants to send you their stuff. I am pretty ~~stupid~~ lucky..... :lol:

JoynersHotPeppers said:
Great painful review. I love the fact that others can tell me what I should turn to powder and forget about the fresh route for tasting! Holy heat stroke!

Yea, it makes things easier on you and your stomach! I usually taste a pepper in terms of what can I do with it. If it is too hot and doesn't have the best flavor, powder. If it is hot and has a great flavor, sauce.

WalkGood said:
Gotta love how you say “a lota pod,” … I’ll say!

What do you mean by saying “almost clean tasting in the mouth?”

Sorry to see you lose the seeds, good to hear you have a bag if you do wana grow dem

Sad you couldn’t nail the flavor but I can see why … masked by all dat heat

Lightbox pics getting better, little tip I learned if you care for one is ... loads of light outside the box is your friend

Have a great weekend mon!

Yea, as I was chewing I was thinking....please let this go down...please let this go down! The "clean" taste I refer to is a high concentration of capsacin, which usually translates (to me) as almost cleaning agent-like. It wasn't overpowering, but I remember it had a pleasant taste and before the 'clean' taste took over I was hit too hard by the heat to dwell on any unpleasantness.
Thanks for the recommendations on the lightbox too!

Jamison said:
Matt, your guts have got to hate you man! You are beastmode brotha. I couldn't even do it man, couldn't do it. I'd love to send ya some pods to review. Let me know man!

They are not a fan atm. I am gonna take the day off and fall into an every other day, type thing. There will probably be one more review out of Steven's box, and I am hoping the pepper coming in is in good shape. Then ill see if I can squeeze another one or 2 in there before I take a few days off to recoup well. But I think if I don't eat one every day, then i'll be good.

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Capsicum Select · Aug 10, 2013

Wow that is a whole different type of hot! After watching the brown morouga review I didn't think you would be hit harder than that. The savannah is just unmerciful. You will definitely have to grow that out next season.

Your pods are looking fantastic too. I really like the looks of those Assam's for some reason. Almost an orangish hue. How is the flavor on them?

Thanks for the reviews and chats. I have thoroughly enjoyed them!

Devv · Aug 10, 2013

Dang Matt!

Nice review! Back to back pain, I just don't how you do that...gluten for punishment?

You mention panic, I've had that just tasting, I think it's your body saying WTH? Can't imagine eating the amounts you're eating..

Good job, might wanna rest a few days

MGOLD86 · Aug 10, 2013

Capsicum Select said:
Wow that is a whole different type of hot! After watching the brown morouga review I didn't think you would be hit harder than that. The savannah is just unmerciful. You will definitely have to grow that out next season.

Your pods are looking fantastic too. I really like the looks of those Assam's for some reason. Almost an orangish hue. How is the flavor on them?

Thanks for the reviews and chats. I have thoroughly enjoyed them!

Yea, I thought starting with the BMS I would have no problems with the rest of the batch.... But I guess not. You know, I really don't remember the flavor on the Assams, it has been a long time. I will probably throw up a review when the boxes start to wind down. Right now we are in full swing harvests, and a bunch of people would like to see their pods destroy me. So when that winds down or i have a break, ill probably do a review.

Devv said:
Dang Matt!

Nice review! Back to back pain, I just don't how you do that...gluten for punishment?

You mention panic, I've had that just tasting, I think it's your body saying WTH? Can't imagine eating the amounts you're eating..

Good job, might wanna rest a few days

Yea, there really isn't anything you can do once you hit panic mode. You are there and just have to ride it out. I think the easiest way to get over it is to go right through it. Just like Boot Camp, the quickest way out is straight through! Since then I have been to A WHOLE LOT worse training events and that advice always reigns true.
Oh, so the harvests are getting bigger...but unfortunately I really haven't had much time to do anything with them. Sent out a few boxes, but I really prefer to send boxes when I get a nice and full spread. The last harvest I had (before this) had a nice variety, and right now I am just waiting for some of the stragglers to set.

It is freaking amazing though that I am harvesting. These plants were super young at the END of MAY! A few short months in the ground and DAYYYYUUUM!

peppernovice · Aug 11, 2013

You and I are not too far apart. If I remember correctly, it's just under 300 miles. I used to drive home from LeJune every weekend. I am having a great year with healthy looking plants. I believe you would agree that your year is going good as well. This leads me to my point. I would have assumed, with all the rain this year, it would have have been a horrific year for pepper plants. It seems however it's the complete opposite. Do you think we have been mistaken all along about the amount of water our plants can handle? I would love to hear your opinion on this topic. My plants are producing like crazy. They have probably received more water this year than ever, yet they look great. Am I the only one contemplating this?

Tim

Devv · Aug 11, 2013

IMHO Peppers love water, I haven't been able to kill one yet with water. In fact I think they have a terrible problem with handling hot weather and dry conditions. But I grow in Tejas in a sandy based ~~dirt~~ soil...

WalkGood · Aug 11, 2013

Nice harvest Matt, I agree about a nice mix ... waiting on one myself, hehe. Have a great week mon!

MGOLD86 · Aug 11, 2013

peppernovice said:
You and I are not too far apart. If I remember correctly, it's just under 300 miles. I used to drive home from LeJune every weekend. I am having a great year with healthy looking plants. I believe you would agree that your year is going good as well. This leads me to my point. I would have assumed, with all the rain this year, it would have have been a horrific year for pepper plants. It seems however it's the complete opposite. Do you think we have been mistaken all along about the amount of water our plants can handle? I would love to hear your opinion on this topic. My plants are producing like crazy. They have probably received more water this year than ever, yet they look great. Am I the only one contemplating this?

Tim

Awww the good ol LeJeune....I bet you really miss it! :rofl:

You know, I think the only downside of a lot of water is washing nutes out and/or requiring more feeding. I have had GREAT results this season and we got hit with a month of about 25 out of 30 days of rain. Right now we have settled down a bit, and only about 10% of my plants aren't where they should be. I have had some yellowing, but that was quickly remedied with some compost tea.

Devv said:
IMHO Peppers love water, I haven't been able to kill one yet with water. In fact I think they have a terrible problem with handling hot weather and dry conditions. But I grow in Tejas in a sandy based ~~dirt~~ soil...

Once they go in the ground or in the pot, they usually are good. When they are babies...I have a problem drowning them! Then I drown my sorrows....so it all works out in the end!

WalkGood said:
Nice harvest Matt, I agree about a nice mix ... waiting on one myself, hehe. Have a great week mon!

Thanks Ramon! It is great walking through the garden and seein all the colors and pods!

Sawyer · Aug 11, 2013

Wow, Matt, you've got a killer glog going here. I stopped by a few days ago and left a few "likes" here and there. Came back today and realized I'd missed some important stuff, so I went back to late July and got (mostly) caught up from there. Couldn't watch everything, but I watched the Bubblegum family review (loved it), the Brown Moruga and 7P Savannah reviews, your comments on saving seeds, and MC #2. All very informative and entertaining. Two more strains added to next year's grow list (or whenever they become available).

My 2¢ on seed saving - I wear double gloves on both hands, cut the pods in half and pull the seeds plus placenta out with my fingers. I figure the pods are hot enough as it is, plus I've found toasted placenta makes a very nice powder by itself (red bhuts, anyway). Like you, Scott, and everyone else, I guess, I let the seeds (+placenta) dry in a warm, dry spot for a few weeks. I do store mine in the refrigerator. I'm learning pepper seeds are more long-lived than many other seeds, but I keep all my seeds together on the bottom shelf of my fridge. It can't hurt and I've got some I keeping for the long term.

I'm with you on avoiding the term "open pollinated". "Isolated" or "non-isolated" are much more relevant. While you are technically correct about "open" vs. "closed", if you look at just about any vegetable seed vendor's catalog or visit their website, "open pollinated" is used to distinguish varieties from hybrid varieties. My first foray here on THP I offered some isolated (by distance), open-pollinated bhut jolokia seeds and was confused when people would say, "Open pollinated? Never mind, then." I've grown three separate crops from those seeds and can't recall a single atypical plant.

On a side note, I've begun to wonder how much of the variability so many of us are seeing in our plants is due to inherent variability and how much is due to seed vendors not properly isolating their crops, or buying seeds wholesale that weren't properly isolated. I've posted this a couple of times elsewhere, but this article has some good information on isolation.

MGOLD86 · Aug 12, 2013

Sawyer, I really loved that article. I am seriously considering doing something like that next season to isolate plants, specifically the crosses that I am growing out in various generations. I was worried about the netting (I have considered using tulle fabric) causing flower drop and a decrease in growth, but it looks like the effects should be marginal. I am gonna stick to isolating branches from the established strains, but I want to isolate the whole plant on the crosses so I can select the shape that I want.

I appreciate you stopping in, and applaud you making through more than a page in one sitting! lol.

My 2 weeks of leave begins NOW and that means time to do some potting up!

Sawyer · Aug 12, 2013

MGOLD86 said:
I was worried about the netting (I have considered using tulle fabric) causing flower drop and a decrease in growth, but it looks like the effects should be marginal.

I've noticed that on both limbs and rows I've covered with Agribon 15. It does seem to slow things down a bit, but doesn't shut 'em down completely.

Seacowboy · Aug 12, 2013

Enjoy your 2 weeks off Matt. Unfortunately I returned to work yesterday in Charleston after having 5 weeks off and its been tough being away from the little one already. Sure you'll make the best of your time. I'll be getting off right when your headed back to it, so since I'll be away from the plants I will live vicariously through everyone here, as well as the 2 dozen pods I brought onboard and the rest of your powder and my newly made Primo powder I should be good to go....

romy6 · Aug 12, 2013

Matt ,watching your pain has reminded me why I do not do reviews. Thank your for making your misery our entertainment. And nice harvest for starting so late in the season .

Can't wait to see the choco nagabrain review . Should be a cakewalk compared to the last two :party:

RocketMan · Aug 12, 2013

Matt, used some of your smoked Scorpion powder in a paella this weekend and man it was the perfect blend of heat smoke and awesome flavor. Thanks for sharing Brotha!

MGOLD86 · Aug 12, 2013

Sawyer said:
I've noticed that on both limbs and rows I've covered with Agribon 15. It does seem to slow things down a bit, but doesn't shut 'em down completely.

Thanks, I will check it out.

Seacowboy said:
Enjoy your 2 weeks off Matt. Unfortunately I returned to work yesterday in Charleston after having 5 weeks off and its been tough being away from the little one already. Sure you'll make the best of your time. I'll be getting off right when your headed back to it, so since I'll be away from the plants I will live vicariously through everyone here, as well as the 2 dozen pods I brought onboard and the rest of your powder and my newly made Primo powder I should be good to go....

Thanks! It will be nice to get the stuff done that I need to do around the house on my own timeline. My sister is gonna be in town next week, and maybe I can get her to eat a pepper! lol. Enjoy the time out, the pods and powder should keep ya company!

romy6 said:
Matt ,watching your pain has reminded me why I do not do reviews. Thank your for making your misery our entertainment. And nice harvest for starting so late in the season .

Can't wait to see the choco nagabrain review . Should be a cakewalk compared to the last two

LOL. They all aren't like that! Tonight's is pretty mellow, some nice mouth burn and a good flavor. We should have decent weather through October, so hopefully there will be many more to come!

RocketMan said:
Matt, used some of your smoked Scorpion powder in a paella this weekend and man it was the perfect blend of heat smoke and awesome flavor. Thanks for sharing Brotha!

Glad ya enjoyed it Bill! It has that nice slow building smoky heat!

MGOLD86 · Aug 12, 2013

Watch in HD!

Check out Steven's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/standbyandfire

I am wrapping up my series of reviews for Steven, I am gonna try to pull one more out on Wednesday if the pods hold up, but if not it has been a blast. I was expecting this to hit me much harder just based on the parents, but surprisingly it had a nice mouthburn but wasn't too bad.

On Heat. Not every pod can be a face melter, and in this case the heat really was a nice burn without really taking it near panic mode. I have had yellows that were hotter than this. But this shouldn't discount the pepper, as there was adequate mouth burn and it lasted for a good 20-30 minutes. Sometimes with the hotter pods, I get hit really hard but the burning subsides much faster. Nothing to write home about, but a nice mouth burn.

On Taste. Since the ButchT is one of the parents, I was expecting a less than stellar taste, which was not the case. Fruity, with a little citrus, but overall pleasant. Would make a great sauce.

On Vigor and Production. I cannot attest to the vigor and production, as I have not grown this variety.

Heat: T3.5
Flavor: T2
Production: ?

stc3248 · Aug 12, 2013

Sweet! You're really taking the reviews up a notch. A breath of fresh air compared to the over the top FBI type reviews...nothing against Ted...he has his niche, but yours are right on. You can see and feel the pain without all the over the top crap and have a true feel for what the ride was really all about. Hope the Reaper wasn't one of the ones past ripe! I really wanna watch you eat one and give your thoughts...I ate one yesterday and have some thoughts, and am super interested to hear what you think. If it WAS one of the past ripe ones...just say the word and one will be on the way...your pain is my pleasure! :rofl:

Maybe I could send you another Infinity too and you could eat more than just a little bit??? I had a very painful experience with that one... Oh...and a MONSTER sized Douglah since you now have to reset your baseline!!!

After the past couple reviews I don't know how many more I am willing to do. My tolerance is good, but my stomach is having real troubles.

The plants look happy and healthy in the background! I like your new review location!

Side note...did you see the woodwork post Dev made a few weeks back? Think its on page 32 or 33 of his Glog...figured you might like the looks of the gun stock he put together...

Sanarda · Aug 13, 2013

Great reviews Matt. Love them and terrific harvest. So glad to see a well deserved season. You can pass some of that sun to Jersey BTW. Oh I wanted to ask how far are you from Greensboro. My family on my mother's side lives there. That includes extended family for 60+ years.

Capsicum Select · Aug 13, 2013

MGOLD86 said:
Yea, I thought starting with the BMS I would have no problems with the rest of the batch.... But I guess not. You know, I really don't remember the flavor on the Assams, it has been a long time. I will probably throw up a review when the boxes start to wind down. Right now we are in full swing harvests, and a bunch of people would like to see their pods destroy me. So when that winds down or i have a break, ill probably do a review.

I will gladly do a partial pod review until the boxes wind down

.

Glad to see your harvests are picking up with happy looking plants in the background of your reviews!
The Butch T x 7 Jonah was a real surprise on the flavor factor. Probably a relief for you that it wasn't like another Savannah!

Enjoy the time off!

HillBilly Jeff · Aug 13, 2013

Nice review.